The Kalinga Native Costume

Cross published from The Clamor of Kalinga Blog original source

One memory that stayed with me as I grew older, was the sight of topless women going about their daily chores. This is because I have spent my first childhood years in the city and I was culture shocked when my parents decided to bring me home to the barrio. I never saw anyone naked before and so I stared unashamedly at them .

In those times, in our barrio Taloctoc, women - after getting married - were allowed not to wear any blouse or upper clothing (Yes, they were topless! and no one placed any malice in it.) I would stare straight up at a mother's bare breast, bouncing back and forth as she went around with her daily chores; and no one noticed. (At present, this is not being practised anymore as people became educated about fashion from the city and neighboring towns. Should we consider this as progress?)

During special occasions and fiestas , the native costume for women is a "tapis" which is a colorful, woven, wrap around material that is usually knotted at the waist or tied at the waist. The upper body is covered with a blouse which is from a woven material too, which is cut very simply to accommodate the arms and the neck. 

For the male, the g-string is used and nothing more. It is a piece of long rectangular woven material too, that is tied around the man's waist down to his lower body covering his private parts.

They were simple "clothes" for simple people with simple joys and wants. I was not able to capture the bright colors of the Kalinga costume, but hopefully , in the future I will.

Etag / Innasin Recipe

Photo by ABS CBN Baguio

Etag – also known as Innasin, Igorot smoked meat, smoked mountain ham or Igorot ham.  This is basically salted pork that is often cooked with other Igorot staples such as Pinikpikan  and vegetables such as legumes.  Many also deep fry the meat and eat it with vinegar or hot sauces.  Either way, it is delicious.  Here is the basic recipe:

Ingredients:

• Pork Meat
• Rock Salt

The preferred portion of the pig to use for this recipe is the top of neck.  Butchers refer to this portion as the Shoulder or Boston Butt.  Make sure that approximately ¼ of the meat is fat for best taste.

Photo by ABS CBN Baguio

Instructions:

Make an incision on the top portion of each slab of meat and insert a string or wire to hold the meat suspending over the fire during the smoking process.  For best results, choose a shady area for smoking.  Create the fire using aromatic wood (oak or redwood preferred – avoid pine because of bitterness).  

Photo by ABS CBN Baguio

Suspend the meat above the fire so that it is high enough to avoid flames and excessive heat, but low enough so that the smoke can reach the meat.  Smoke the meat for at least 30 minutes and no more than 3 hours each day for at least 2 weeks.  Traditionally, Etag was smoked for 5 months to several years so don’t worry about smoking for longer than the 2 week period.

Store Etag in a earthen or clay jar or pot.  Never use plastic otherwise your meat will have plastic flavoring.  Metal is also not recommended because the metal might react badly to the heavy salt content.

Igorot Jokes: Volume 2

Joke 7:

Adda t naka mascara nga nag hold-up t maysa nga bus jay manila. “Ilabas at tanggalin lahat ang inyong mga pera’t alahas at ilagay dito sa bag ko, kung hindi’y papatayin ko kayo..” sinaga-sagaysa na amin enggana nakadanon jay kaudian nga pasahero (ibontok nga naka leather jacket). “Akin na yang leather jacket mo.” “tsa.. luga-lugak ya..?? (its very old)” kunan jay igorot. Sinmungbat met jay hold-uper with the same language, tone & accent “tsa.. ulay man..!! (whatever)."

Joke 8:

Pulis: Sino nakakita aksidente?
Kiangan: Siak sir! Nangisit nga van ti nakadungpar dita ubing.
Pulis: Naalam ti plate number na?
Kiangan: Haan ta nakaturnilyo met

Joke 9:

Tourist - May I join you?
Kiangan - Why, am i coming apart?  
Tourist - I mean may i join you in a cup of coffee?
Kiangan - Ngane? Adi ta umanay hinan tasa.....

Joke 10:

INA: Anak, tawagim kha's dadim ta on-akad kha nin ale! (Anak, tawagam man ni daddy'm ta agawid koma.)

ANAK: Mama, Bi-i met i sinmongbat! (Mama, babae met diay simungbat!)

INA: Arah! Agpayso sota sutpetsak ay waray kabit nen tatang mo! Ngantoy kwan nita bii? (Ay apo! Agpayso gayam diay sutpetsak nga adda ti kabit ni tatang mo! Ania kunana diay babae?)

ANAK: "You have zero balance in your account!" Kwan to met! (You have zero balance in your account, kunana met.)

INA: Ayuh! Kashianak mango ni abos! Insa-dat towak emo lad 'merikano! Ita met ja emanEngdis. Pinshowam khan tawagan! (Ay apo! Kasian dak! Insukat nak sa met ti amerikana. Umaninglish met dayta. Tawagam man manen!)

ANAK: Sota bii met mowan, kwan toy please reload immediately! (Isu met lang ti simungbat, diay babae manen, kunana nga please reload immediately!)

INA: Ayoh! Ita met gayam, marama! Jet ngantoak emo mango?! (Ay apo, madama met gayam! Ket kasa-noak ngayen?)

Joke 11:

Nakatakas si Erap, FVR at GMA sa mga terorista at nagtago sa mga sako sa  isang farm...

Terorista1: Anong nakita mo dyan?

Terorista2: Mga sako lang.

Terorista1: Tingnan mo ang laman! Sinipa ng terorista ang unang sako, "Meow", sabi ni FVR!

Terorista2: Pusa! Sinipa ang pangalawang sako, "Aw aw!" sabi ni GMA!

Terorista2: Aso!

Sinipa ang ikatlong sako... Walang tunog kaya sinipa uli ito ng sinipa ng terorista.

Dahil sa sakit ng sipa, napasigaw na si Erap. "Patatas!"

Joke 12:

It is believed by some that Staten Island, New York was named by an Igorot.  According to some, the first foreigners to set foot on this place were a boat of Filipinos.  On that boat was an Igorot who had much better vision than his lowlander companions because his eyes were conditioned to spotting things far into the mountains where he came from. Unable to speak Tagalog, the Igorot spoke in English and vice-versa for the lowlanders.

He was the first to see the body of land we now know as Staten Island.  Upon seeing it, he jumped up, pointed to the small and distant shores and yelled, "Eesdaten Ayland?"

Joke 13:

Bitoy: Dagul, bakit ang pandak mo?

Dagul: Kasi, bata pa lang ako, ulila na ako.

Bitoy: Anong kaugnayan nun sa pagiging pandak mo?

Dagul: Sira pala ulo mo! Wala ngang nagpalaki sa akin!

Igorot Blogs

Blogs Selected for your Reading

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If you would like to see a particular blog featured, please leave us a comment and we will try to include it in our rotation as long as it doesn't contain obscene, malicious or inappropriate content.

Igorot Jokes: Volume 1

Joke 1:

A Cordillera man visited his relatives in Canada for the first time.  One morning he went out alone and dined in a restaurant.  Since he did not know any of the delicacies on the menu, he ordered only coffee.  The waitress politely asked him if he wanted to have anything to eat with his coffee. Appearing smart, the man replied, "Just bring me any of your specialties that has a dog in it.

After a few minutes later, the waitress returned with coffee and hot dogs served on a plate with eggs, hash browns and bacon.  The man looked surprised and said, "Oh, I didn't think you Canadians ate the dog's reproductive organs.  In our country, we don't eat the lucie.  I bet you also eat the balls too!"

Joke 2:

Adda kano ti ekiangan nga kabitero, kanayon kano nga ti balon na ti lunch ket asukar. Maysa nga aldaw man mangan da ket nakatugaw isuna kadagiti batbato nga ikabkabiti da. Bigla nga adda kimmagat ti ukel-ukel na. Ta daytoy nga ikiangan ket nakawanes laeng. Lim-magto nga bigla daytoy nga lakay sana kinita ti ukel-ukel (botbotlog) na, ket nakitana ti kuton nga kim-makagat iti ukel-ukel na. Inala diay kuton ket imbad-debad-dek na sana kuna "uken-inam nga kuton, siak an-anusak ti asukar sika - - - - itlog."

Joke 3:

Panagkakali c patatas . . 

(Woman A) became noticeably sad while cleaning potatoes.

Woman B: Apay nga ksla mkasang2it ka?

Woman C: Wen garud, apay no makit2am dgita patatas ket mlag2ip mo ni lakay mo?

Woman A: Wen! !

Woman B: Apay kasta nga kda3k-kel? (pointing to the potatoes Woman A was holding)

Woman A: Haan, KASTOY NGA KARUGIt

Joke 4:

A 90 year old Igorot man began making love to his 85 year old wife. He started sucking her breasts and after 10 seconds, he died.

Autopsy report read: "Cause of death: Expired Milk"

Joke 5:

At the Dangwa station, a guard whistled at a man urinating against the wall immediately after getting off the bus. 

Guards: Pards, I-ad-adayum man bassit ta isbum!

Man: Anya ka metten! Ket nu inyada-adayuk ti isbuk. Agasem ta nagapuak pay lang Kiangan at ittuyak nga umisbu!

Joke 6:

Adda ti Ilocano, Tagalog ken Igorot jay death row ket masapol nga agpili da nu kasanu da nga mapatay:

- mapaltogan jay ulo;

- mapugotan;

- maindeksyonan ti AIDS virus.

Ilocan: "Paltugan dak jay ulo" (Bang, natay!)

Tagalog: "Pugotan nyo ako" (Whak, patay!)

Igorot: (nalastog na nga inbaga) "Give me some of that AIDS stuff."

Bigla nga nagkakatawa ti napigsa idi maindeksyonan, sanan to kuna nga "ikan dak pay."

Masmasdaaw dagidiay gwardia ngem awan mabalin d isunga inindeksyonan da manen. Karkaro nga pinmigsa ti katawan diay Igorot isunga haan nga matepelan daytoy warden nga agsaludsod, "kinmatok kan samet. . ibagam lang nu paltogan me wenno pugutan me ti ulom."

Sinmungbat diay Igorot, "Isunga awan asenso ti pulis a ta nagtatabbed da . . . haan dak nga mapatay it AIDS uray nu kasanu ti kaado na gamin naka-CONDOM ak!!

Joke 7:

When the bus going to Ifugao was still via Halsema highway, a story was told about a man who bought bangus from Baguio City to bring home to Kiangan.  The bangus vendor knowing that his merchandise will be taking a long journey, packed it with ice to keep it from spoiling.  The man who bought the bangus immediately thanked the vendor, "Mayat ka nga aglaku ah. Presko ngaruden ti bangus mu, adda pay libre nga asa-an nga it-itedmo."

The man boarded the bus headed for Kiangan. When they reached the stopover somewhere between the Benguet-Mt. Province boundary, he checked on his bangus. He noticed that his pack was filled with water and remarked, "Ay apu ti kdwa nga Igorot. Ha'an lang nga agtatakaw, bastos pay. Tinakaw da la ngaruden diay asa-an ko, inisbuan da pay dia bangus ku."